Country Director, Guinea

About West Africa Blue

West Africa contains 14% of the world’s remaining mangroves. Along with immense carbon sequestration potential, these coastal ecosystems help protect against erosion, storms and flooding and support diverse terrestrial and marine fauna, including IUCN Red List Threatened Species. Yet these vital wetlands are under increasing threat due to climate change and human activities. Nature-based solutions such as carbon credit projects can play an important role in helping to preserve these ecosystems while also providing a path for under-resourced communities to achieve sustainable economic development.

West Africa Blue (“Blue”) partners with communities and governments to pioneer and launch urgently needed high-integrity, financially sustainable, nature-based solutions. We seek to mitigate climate change, boost community resilience and protect biodiversity. Our partnership builds income diversification opportunities, sustainable strategies, critical skills development and enhanced financial inclusion, especially for women, in rural areas of Africa.

Our team is diverse, innovative, entrepreneurial and committed, with a deep, longstanding connection to West Africa. We are seeking an inspirational leader to join us and lead our flagship project in Sierra Leone.

Blue was co-founded in 2022 by Solon Capital Partners, a leading West Africa-focused investor providing capital and support to high-impact organizations throughout the region.

The Role

We are seeking a dynamic and proactive Country Director to lead Blue’s efforts in developing blue carbon projects in The Republic of Guinea. You will join a passionate, collaborative, and adventurous team, united by the mission to tackle one of the world’s most pressing challenges.

This role offers ambitious leaders the opportunity and support to take on greater responsibilities at Blue. You will have significant management and operational responsibility to oversee day-to-day operations and manage multiple project workstreams. A self-starter with a hands-on approach, you will collaborate with local communities, partners, government officials, and scientific experts to address challenges and advance project goals. The role demands flexibility, enthusiasm, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

This position is critical to achieving key milestones and driving successful outcomes. It provides a unique opportunity to combat climate change while making a positive impact on local communities.

The Country Director will be responsible for:

• Overseeing and managing the implementation of high-integrity, community-led mangrove conservation and restoration projects in Guinea. This includes activities in communities focusing on efficient cooking solutions, community forestry programs and extensive community engagement.
• Building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders, including government officials, local partners, donor partners, consultants, and community members.
• Developing budgets and monitoring and managing project expenditures, ensuring that all project expenses are tracked and within plan.
• Ensuring Blue’s operations in Guinea are efficient, compliant, and implemented at the highest standards.
• Representing Blue at local and international conferences in a senior management capacity.
  

Success in the role means:

• Blue achieves its project delivery targets.
• You have deep, deferential, and trusting relationships with communities as well as strong, constructive relationships with national government and other key stakeholders.
• You and your team are globally recognized as leading practitioners in nature-based carbon projects.
• The company’s systems, policies, workstreams and resources are effectively managed.
• Your colleagues regard you as a dependable and proficient team member.
• Your team is continually developing their skills and the organization’s capabilities are constantly evolving. The team understands and demonstrates the company’s values and culture.
• You are up to date and well-versed in market trends and intelligence.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field and 8+ years of management experience within a high-paced, results-driven, collaborative environment.
• Experience in successfully delivering complex projects in a multi-stakeholder environment.
• Strong project management expertise including plan development, budgeting, financial management.
• Experience managing a diverse team.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including preparing detailed project reports and presenting to diverse audiences.
• In-field experience working with rural communities.
• Fluent in both French and English. Fluency in Sousou would be a plus.
• Experience with Environment/Forestry & Carbon Markets would also be a plus.

Personal Attributes:

• Interest in nature-based solutions, conservation, the environment, and international development.
• Energetic and proactive engagement with colleagues, even when working remotely.
• Willingness to support team members as needed outside of assigned tasks.
• Empathetic in interactions with people of different backgrounds.

We are seeking a highly motivated self-starter who is a team player and a natural leader. The ideal candidate enjoys solving problems in a fast-paced environment and is excited to join us in our mission to build prosperous communities and thriving ecosystems through successful nature-based solutions. 

The Country Director will be based in Conakry, Guinea and require occasional trips to Blue’s project areas as well as international conferences/events.

We offer competitive compensation packages akin to those at start-ups and fast-growing businesses.